Namewise

Emilie vs Emma

Emilie and Emmacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • Norway · Girls

    In 2025, Emilie was ranked #16 and Emma #1 among girls in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Emilie was ranked #608 and Emma #28 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Girls

    In 2024, Emilie was ranked #176 and Emma #53 among girls in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Emilie was ranked #837 and Emma #69 among girls in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2024, Emilie was ranked #288 and Emma #84 among girls in Northern Ireland.

Emilie and Emma over time

Emilie and Emma appear together in 4 published lists, across 137 years of shared records. Emma held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Emilie in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Emma reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Emilie in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

List by list

  • Norway · Girls49 shared years, 1958–2025

    Emilie held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Emma in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Emilie #1 in 1999, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2002: Emma moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #4 and #9; by 2002 that had become #9 and #5.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emilie #16, Emma #1.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls38 shared years, 1982–2025

    Emilie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 38.

    Highest recorded here: Emilie #236 in 2010, Emma #1 in 2003.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Emilie #608, Emma #28.

  • England and Wales · Girls29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Emilie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Emilie #232 in 2013, Emma #13 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emilie #837, Emma #69.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls21 shared years, 1997–2024

    Emilie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Emma in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Emilie #136 in 2015, Emma #2 in 2004.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Emilie #288, Emma #84.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Emilie

Pairs where Emilie shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Emma

Pairs where Emma shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Emilie, Emma
FieldEmilieEmma
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningThe German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).A shortened form of Germanic names beginning with the element 'irmin' ('whole, great'), from Proto-Germanic *ermunaz. Introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, wife of King Ethelred II and later King Canute; further popularised by Jane Austen's 1816 novel Emma.
OriginLatin, via German/Scandinavian transmissionGermanic
Pronunciation/ˈeh.mee.lee.eh//ˈɛm.ə/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesEmilia, Emelie, Mille, MillyNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Girls #16 (2025)Norway · Girls #1 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Emilie is recorded with a Latin, via German/Scandinavian transmission origin, while Emma is recorded with a Germanic origin.
  • Emilie has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Emma.
  • Emilie's recorded meaning differs from Emma's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
  • The available evidence gives Emilie a "high" Data Confidence level and Emma a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Emilie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1958

    First recorded at #383 among girls in Norway in 1958 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1958–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in Norway, in 1999 (recorded 1958–2025).

    Norway · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #16 among girls in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Girls

Emma

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #342 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1969–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1969–2023).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #65 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls